Vessel having stacking construction



y 30, 1967 R. Tv CORNELIUS 3,322,300

VESSEL HAVING STACKING CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 28, 1964 a INVENTORQ Eat/yard Z. (@flZddQ United States Patent Oiitice 3,3223% Patented May 30, 1967 3,322,300 ESSEL HAVING STACKING CONSTRUTIQN Richard T. Cornelius, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to The Qornelius Company, Anoka, Minn, a corporation oi Minnesota Filed Feb. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 348,005 3 Claims. ((31. 220-97) response to stacking forces, thereby rendering the stack unstable.

The present invention contemplates the utilization of end structure for tanks which enables stacking, such structure being shock-absorbent having a handle,

when present in a stack.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a rigid member Within a handle that forms part of a stacking surface to preclude yielding thereof.

Many other advantages, features and additional objects of the present invention will becomes manifest to those FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view line TIL-III of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a top view, corresponding to FIG. 2, of another structural embodiment of this invention.

As shown on the drawings:

The principles of this invention are when embodied in a vessel assembly, vessel assembly, as illustrated in FIG. cated by each of the numerals 10. The

taken along the arcuate particularly useful such as a pressure 1, generally indivesscl includes a tank 11, typically comprising sheet metal such as stainless steel,

at its ends by a top and a bottom of dome-shaped configuration, namely externally convex shape. Actual embodiments of these tanks typically have diameters on the order of 8 /29 inches. One end of the tank, which may be termed its top end, has a pressure fitting and a liquid fitting, and typically the top end is provided with a central opening with a cover for access. (The dome-shaped tank ends, the fittings, the central opening, and the cover are not shown in the drawings and form no novel part of the claimed invention, but are fully illustrated in my prior Patent No. 3,076,576.)

The vessel assembly 19 further includes a top skirt 12 and a bottom skirt 11, such as by a heat-bond, or such as by being vulcanized thereto.

The top skirt 12 is shown in perspective in FIG. 1, while FIG. 2 illustrates a top View thereof. The skirt 12 comprises semi-hard or flexible material, for instance rubber, such as of the butyl type, acetyl resin, or vinyl plastic. The skirt I2 is annular, and within the annular configuration there are numerous pockets defined by webs so arranged as to provide a deflection-resistant configuration. The configuration is ordinarily nonyielding in response to customary handling, but yet is sufficiently yieldable so as to be shock-absorbent.

fluid fittings. The skirt 12 further includes means which defines a pair of hand-receiving apertures 17, 1'8 extending radially therethrough, the aperture 17 being angularly spaced by from the aperture 18, so that the apertures l7 and 18 are diametrically opposite to each other. The means which defines the apertures 17 and 18 thus includes a pair of angularly spaced handles or hand gripping portions 1?, 20, each of which is of arcuate configuration. The handles 19 and 20 are integral with the skirt 12 at both ends thereof and respectively bridge the apertures 17 and 18 in a manner such that the handles 19 and 20 are flush with the end 21 of the skirt 12 which is axially remote from the tank 11. Owing to the nature of the material from which the handles are constructed, the configuration illustrated produces inherent flexibility in the material that provides the handles 19 and 20.

Therefore, in accordance with the principles of this invention, there is provided a pair of rigid U-shaped members 22, 23 shown in FIG. 2, and one of which is shown in FIG. 3. Each of the members 22, 23 includes a bight corresponding to the handles 19, 20. The rigid members 22, 23 are respectively embedded in the handles 20, 19, and more specifically, the bight portion 24 is embeddedtherein in a manner which bridges or spans ture 17 as best seen in FIG. 3. Each of the rigid members 22, 23 has a pair of Which are embedde the skirt 12 is lowermost, the handle portions 19 and 26, being unyielding, will serve as an effective support surface for the assembly. If desired, lines from the fittings received in the apertures 15 and 16 may also pass through the handle apertures 17 or 18.

The structure described is deflection-resistant, shockabsorbent, and is substantially not deflectable, particularly in response to handling or stacking forces. If one of the handles 19, 20 is grasped and the filled vessel is lifted, no appreciable yielding of such handle takes place. If a number of assemblies are stacked as shown in FIG. 1, with the handle portions 19, 20 being acted on by a superimposed similar vessel assembly, such handle portions 19, 20 will not yield, thereby rendering the stack stable.

The bottom skirt 13 may be made identical to the top skirt 12. However, if desired, the hand apertures 17, 18, the central aperture 14, the fitting apertures 15, 16 and their clearances, and the rigid members 22, 23, may be omitted as shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 4, there is illustrated a further embodiment of the top skirt, generally indicated by the numeral 27. The skirt 27 is constructed to be employed with tanks having pressure fittings not disposed diametrically opposite to each other, and therefore to that end, pressure fitting apertures 28, 29 are provided. The skirt 27 is made from the same material as the skirt 12, and has a number of pockets 30 defined by a number of webs 31, as mentioned above, for providing a deflection-resistant configuration. Similarly, the skirt 27 has means indicated at 32, 33 defining a pair of hand-receiving apertures extending radially therethrough, and bridged by a pair of angularly spaced handles 34, 35 which form a part of the aperturedefining-means. In this embodiment, the radial directions in Which the apertures 32 and 33 are directed jointly define an obtuse angle. The apertures 32, 33 are provided with a pair of rigid U-shaped members 36, 37 which are substantially identical to the rigid members 22, 23.

The vessel assemblies disclosed thus avoid the need of shelving in that they are so constructed as to be directly stackable upon each other, an upper vessel preferably being supported by at least two lower vessels to bind the stack together. The end structures or skirts are so constructed that they are resistant to impact, and are thus not damaged by blows which have been found to damage end structures or skirts made of metal. The labor and material of providing a separate handle has been avoided. It is apparent from FIG. 1 that the vessels 10 could be so arranged that the deflection-resistant portions of the skirts 12 adjacent to the hand openings could be employed to support a superimposed tank assembly. However, such prearrangement is time consuming and subject to error. The inclusion of the rigid U-shaped members thus further avoids any necessity for prearrangement of the tanks or vessel assemblies so that they may be stacked as shown in FIG. 1 with each tank disposed with respect to the other tanks and about its vertical axis in a random arrangement. Nevertheless, even if the most unfavorable random arrangement results, namely that shown in FIG. 1, the handle structure is so rigidified that it precludes any tendency to cause tilting as a result of the stacking forces applied thereto.

Although various minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such embodiments as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A vessel assembly, comprising:

(a) a. cylindrical tank;

(b) a pair of generally annular skirts respectively secured to opposite ends of said tank, said skirts comprising flexible material arranged in a deflectionresistant configuration;

(c) means integral with one of said skirts and defining a pair of angularly spaced hand-receiving apertures,

each extending radially therethrough, said means ineluding a pair of arcuate handles respectively bridging said apertures, said handles being fiush with that end of said one skirt which end is axially remote from said tank, the material of said handles being of a flexible configuration; and

(d) a pair of rigid generally U-shaped members each having a bight portion with a curvature corresponding to that of said handles and respectively embedded therein, and each having a pair of generally parallel leg portions embedded in said skirt in said deflectionresistant configuration thereof at opposite sides of said apertures, respectively, said rigid members each being operative to prevent deflection of said handles in response to any handling force applied thereto and in response to any stacking force applied thereto by the other of said skirts of a similar assembly.

2. A vessel assembly, comprising:

(a) a cylindrical tank;

(b) a pair of generally annular skirts respectively secured to opposite ends of said tank, said skirts comprising fiexible material arranged in a deflectionresistant configuration;

(c) means integral with one of said skirts and defining at least one hand-receiving aperture extending radially therethrough, said means including an arcuate handle bridging each aperture, said handle being flush with that end of said one skirt which end is axially remote from said tank, the material of said handle being of a flexible configuration; and

(d) a rigid generally U-shaped member for each handle and having a bight portion with a curvature corresponding to that of said handle and embedded therein, and said member having a pair of generally parallel leg portions embedded in said skirt in said deflection-resistant configuration thereof at opposite sides of said aperture, said rigid member being operative to prevent deflection of said handle in response to any handling force applied thereto and in response to any stacking force applied thereto by the other of said skirts of a similar assembly.

3. A vessel assembly, comprising:

(a) a cylindrical tank;

(b) a generally annular one-piece skirt secured to one end of said tank, said skirt comprising flexible material arranged in a deflection-resistant configuration;

(0) means integral with said skirt defining an arcuate hand-receiving aperture extending radially therethrough, said means including an arcuate handle bridging said aperture, said handle being fiush with that end of said skirt which end is axially remote from said tank; and

(d) a rigid member, having a portion with a curvature corresponding to that of said handle and embedded therein, and having a pair of leg portions embedded in said skirt at opposite sides of said aperture in said deflection-resistant configuration thereof, said member being operative to preclude deflection of said handle into said aperture in response to any stacking force applied to said handle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE E. LOWRANCE, LOUIS G. MANCENE,

Examiners. 

1. A VESSEL ASSEMBLY, COMPRISING: (A) A CYLINDRICAL TANK; (B) A PAIR OF GENERALLY ANNULAR SKIRTS RESPECTIVELY SECURED TO OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID TANK, SAID SKIRTS COMPRISING FLEXIBLE MATERIAL ARRANGED IN A DEFLECTIONRESISTANT CONFIGURATION; (C) MEANS INTEGRAL WITH ONE OF SAID SKIRTS AND DEFINING A PAIR OF ANGULARLY SPACED HAND-RECEIVING APERTURES, EACH EXTENDING RADIALLY THERETHROUGH, SAID MEANS INCLUDING A PAIR OF ARCUATE HANDLES RESPECTIVELY BRIDGING SAID APERTURES, SAID HANDLES BEING FLUSH WITH THAT END OF SAID ONE SKIRT WHICH END IS AXIALLY REMOTE FROM SAID TANK, THE MATERIAL OF SAID HANDLES BEING OF A FLEXIBLE CONFIGURATION; AND (D) A PAIR OF RIGID GENERALLY U-SHAPED MEMBERS EACH HAVING A BIGHT PORTION WITH A CURVATURE CORRESPONDING TO THAT OF SAID HANDLES AND RESPECTIVELY EMBEDDED THEREIN, AND EACH HAVING A PAIR OF GENERALLY PARALLEL LEG PORTIONS EMBEDDED IN SKIRT IN SAID DEFLECTIONRESISTANT CONFIGURATION THEREOF AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID APERTURES, RESPECTIVELY, SAID RIGID MEMBERS EACH BEING OPERATIVE TO PREVENT DEFLECTION OF SAID HANDLES IN RESPONSE TO ANY HANDLING FORCE APPLIED THERETO AND IN RESPONSE TO ANY STACKING FORCE APPLIED THERETO BY THE OTHER OF SAID SKIRTS OF A SIMILAR ASSEMBLY. 